The Endless River
by Pink Floyd
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Nov 10, 2014
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 24
  3. Negative: 4 out of 24
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  1. PopMatters
    Nov 26, 2014
    60
    The problems with The Endless River are not so much what we are given, but what is left out. Without the vocals, something is very clearly missing and the listener is left wanting more.
  2. Mojo
    Nov 19, 2014
    60
    The Endless River is big on atmosphere, just a little light on songs. [Dec 2014, p.88]
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  3. musicOMH.com
    Nov 17, 2014
    60
    In the passing of time they’ve aged a bit, and though they can still intermittently move us with their thoughts, it is difficult to see anywhere they could go from here musically. It is the right time to go.
  5. Q Magazine
    Nov 13, 2014
    60
    The Endless River is an unsatisfying way for Pink Floyd to cease trading. [Dec 2014, p.107]
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  6. Exclaim
    Nov 11, 2014
    60
    Pink Floyd's final farewell doesn't deliver anything particularly unfamiliar to those acquainted with the Gilmour years. However, The Endless River serves its purpose as well as a collection of unreleased material can--it remembers an integral band member while reflecting on past glories in a reserved, respectable fashion.
  7. The Guardian
    Nov 6, 2014
    60
    People tend to use the phrase “a footnote to their career” in order to damn a record with faint praise, but there’s a sense that a footnote to Pink Floyd’s career may be precisely what The Endless River is supposed to be: not a new album from an extant band, but an echo from the past--or a last, warm but slightly awkward group hug.
  8. The Telegraph (UK)
    Nov 4, 2014
    60
    Although the 18 tracks (12 of which are co-credited to Wright) are short on catchy tunes, it’s still an effective 53-minute trip.
  9. Pitchfork
    Nov 13, 2014
    57
    There's something bold in the smaller scope of The Endless River, but it proves to be one of the few Pink Floyd releases that sounds like a step backwards, with nothing new to say and no new frontiers to explore.
  10. Classic Rock Magazine
    Dec 16, 2014
    50
    Overall, too much of The Endless River is suffocated by prog-normative dreariness and a high, conventional varnish. [Dec 2014, p.98]
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  11. Consequence
    Nov 10, 2014
    50
    As part of the greater whole of Floyd records, it’s an oddity, more relevant for its context in the band’s history than the music.
  12. The Quietus
    Nov 7, 2014
    50
    Ultimately, The Endless River is another Floyd album about the inability to communicate--it doesn't "say anything" or "go anywhere", but maybe that's the point. While it's unlikely to win the band many new admirers, the casual Floyd fan will find much to enjoy here.
  13. New Musical Express (NME)
    Nov 4, 2014
    50
    It’s interesting from a certain geeky perspective, but it's never quite as satisfying or substantial as you want it to be.
  14. New York Daily News (Jim Faber)
    Nov 10, 2014
    40
    Unfortunately, River has some of the listlessness and compromise of “The Division Bell,” which itself left a bad taste in the mouth.

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Most Discussed Album of 2014
49
#49 Most Shared Album of 2014

User Reviews

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User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 139 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 139
  2. Mixed: 27 out of 139
  3. Negative: 14 out of 139
  1. highplainsdrift
    Nov 10, 2014
    3
    Fifteen years ago I would have been giddy at the news of a new Pink Floyd album. I'm a Pink Floyd loyalist, but when I heard the news thatFifteen years ago I would have been giddy at the news of a new Pink Floyd album. I'm a Pink Floyd loyalist, but when I heard the news that Floyd was releasing a new album, I sensed it a bit late in the game to have very high expectations for it. In preparation for this "event", I saddled up my Sennheiser headphones, smoked a phat bowl and cranked this album full through. And what I discovered is that Pink Floyd really has become their own parents--and let's not kid ourselves, these "leftovers" from the Division Bell sessions are really just the fruits of Dave Gilmour sitting in a Production studio and mixing his and Rick Wright's tracks from those older sessions.

    The sound is clean and there are flickering moments, like on "Allons-y" and "Talkin' Hawkin'", that take you back to the classic Pink Floyd sound, but they never really get off their feet and the songs trudge slowly to no pay off. If you're hoping for the classic Pink Floyd sound to resurrect itself, you'll be disappointed; and if you are anticipating they would take their music to some new, exciting direction, here again you'd be disappointed.

    There is very little life in these songs and what is there fails due to Gilmour's fading studio skills. Gilmour is simply not that great as a Producer (that was Waters). Especially noticeable in the first half of the album are the airy synthesizers which sound more Yanni than I am comfortable with. Gilmour's guitar lacks the power and volume of his earlier works--the best that I can describe it is that he sounds flat. With classic Floyd, even when Gilmour played quietly, his guitar was still on display and his long tones carried the music. Gilmour used to write solos that made us weep. There is nothing close to that here. I could point to any number of albums of a similar vein from the old Musax or Patchwork Libraries that do this 10 times better, and those albums were written 30 years ago.

    Maybe what this album lacks truly IS LIFE. Division Bell wasn't a great album, either--it was good, yet still many stars better than Endless River. Where those Division Bell songs came to life was when Pink Floyd performed them live. The album that came out of the tour in 1994 was Pulse, among the best live rock albums ever made. Maybe these songs would come to life at a live Floyd show...    … Full Review »
  2. ScarySquirrel
    Nov 10, 2014
    7
    I am far from qualified to post an in depth review of the album, all I can base my score on is whether I enjoy listening to it or not. I am aI am far from qualified to post an in depth review of the album, all I can base my score on is whether I enjoy listening to it or not. I am a massive Pink Floyd fan, they're my favourite band of all time, so I was extremely excited that they had a new album coming out. I didn't have massively high hopes (excuse the pun), even though I do like The Division Bell (but it's not my favourite obviously), so I went into this album not expecting a great deal.

    But what I found was a thoroughly enjoyable, and quite ambient and relaxing collection of instrumental pieces of music. There were small hints of the Pink Floyd from the 70s, 80s, etc. On a couple of tracks there'd be a bit of the song that really reminded me of older tracks from the likes of Animals, WYWH, etc, and of course The Division Bell.

    The album is essential four pieces of music, made up of smaller parts. Each side is really enjoyable in their own right.

    The final side concludes with Louder than Words, the only song with proper vocals. I actually really like it, I think it's quite a fitting song to finish with.

    Like I said, I am not a music critic, I don't 'get' music necessarily, I just enjoy it, and I really enjoyed this album and I've listened to it all the way through about 4 or 5 times now.    … Full Review »
  3. Freemamba
    Nov 11, 2014
    10
    Amazing, A fine, complex instrumental composition in style of their early work...The music spokes for it self, They finished what they startedAmazing, A fine, complex instrumental composition in style of their early work...The music spokes for it self, They finished what they started years ago...
    If u don't get this album ur not a true Pink Floyd fan!!    … Full Review »
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